


You're used to being told that you're trouble

by Mis_Shapes



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: A fairly small amount of actual archaeology, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Crete, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Muck - Freeform, Outdoor Sex, Sea, Sweat, look admittedly it's pretty much just them lusting after each other, mild references to the potential for snowjoy which may make some shippers despair ;), sand, sun - Freeform, you get the picture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-15
Packaged: 2019-03-05 05:48:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13381458
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mis_Shapes/pseuds/Mis_Shapes
Summary: So, when a certain someone suggest aseriousarchaeology au I don't think this is what he meant but there you go... There is, however, all the dirt, sun, and sleeping out that was mentioned.Robb finds something, someone, that makes the beating sun more bearable.





	You're used to being told that you're trouble

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TotemundTabu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TotemundTabu/gifts).



“Robb.”

He heard the words, but they floated by as though his dream state pushed them away and rejected them as unimportant. Idly, he continued to brush the dry dirt from the wall into a shovel ready for the photographs to be taken. Time to close this trench. Almost time to close them all.  
  
“Robb.” Ygritte’s voice failed to pull him back into the world once again.  
  
His mind dwelled on who he would swear down is the most beautiful man to have ever graced his presence, and that was a difficult thing to be torn away from. It wasn’t just his image that was beautiful, though he was of course, it was everything about him; his graceful mannerisms, his voice, the way he talked with such confidence, such passion. He didn’t just know things, he truly understood them and thought about things in a way Robb would never understand himself, and that was both intimidating and captivating.  
  
“Robb.” Her voice was more of a sing song now, reminiscent of his teachers when they caught him in a daydream.  
  
Jon had got there first. To Theon that is. He could picture them still; stood between him and the cliff edge, amongst the rocks and dry grass. Jon’s hands on his hips as he looked out across the water, occasionally looking back from the waves to look at him. Even then, as he saw Theon nip his lower lip as he smirked, he’d watched in envy at the pair of them without even having spoken to him. Jon had already tanned, he was already hat free, he already wore t-shirts without the fear of being burnt and brushed the dirt off his bare arms casually as they spoke. That was early on in the summer and still Robb could feel the sensitive burnt skin on his nose, he still wore a really quite unflattering hat for fear of his scalp burning and shirt to cover himself up, and when he looked in the mirror all he saw was freckles. He cursed his Irish redhead genes, only Ygritte could understand, but then the freckles suited her.  
  
“Rooooobbbbb.” She persisted, her hand holding the trowel pausing in the corner of his eye.  
  
Jon had been incredibly shirky, muttering about him afterwards, and not wanting to talk about it, but Robb had not been convinced. They had more to talk about, surely. Jon pulled off the mucky look effortlessly and Robb refused to believe that he wasn’t at all interested in this enchanting stranger. Even Ygritte had eyed him, intrigued.  
  
“He’s an arrogant tosspot!” Jon had then snapped eventually later that night, stirring the food on the portable gas stove impatiently, as though the more he stirred it the quicker it would heat.

Ygritte sat beside him, her lips taut as she refrained from snatching the spoon from him.  
  
“Is that not a paradox?” Dacey laughed.  
  
“If it were you still know exactly what I mean. Would you like me to replace it with something else because I am not short of words I could describe him as.”  
  
“Hot being one of them?” Wylla piped up, sharing a look with Dacey.  
  
Tormund cleared his throat. “Moving on…”  
  
“Thank you!” Jon sighed with exasperation.  
  
“Maybe you should take out your misplaced frustrations on something other than the food,” Tormund continued, leaving all but Jon, and Robb, howling with laughter.  
  
He had thrown the spoon, as much as he could, into the pan, and pushed himself up, kicking up dirt. With one more glower he then stalked off towards the coast, leaving Ygritte to scoot over into the spot he’d vacated and take up his role with relief.  
  
“Jon!” Robb called out after him as he caught up.  
  
He liked it like this, in the late evening when the air was cooler, and everything went almost quiet, the gentle rolling crashes of the waves, the light rustle of the grasses in the wind and chirping of crickets. During the daytime he was overwhelmed by the heat and the way the sun beat down, the way he was permanently squinting to keep out the bright light despite sunglasses. His skin was dry and sore, and he felt chronically dehydrated. Oberyn had raised a brow when they first met at how he had come to be in this line of work.  
  
Jon.  
  
No, that wasn’t entirely true.  
  
That’s why he was here though, Crete.

 _‘Come on! It’s prehistory, you like prehistory.’_  
  
Until Theon had appeared he’d have been quite happy to hop on a plane and hang out in some muddy wet fields for the rest of the summer like everyone else they knew, able to drink beer without the risk of making himself ill because he hadn’t consumed enough water. Enough of the ‘adventure’.  
  
Jon spun, already looking a little calmer yet still irritated. “Sorry,” he mumbled. A sigh escaped him as he dropped down to sit on the ground, waiting for Robb to join him. He lent back as though there were no issues with exposing his limbs, stretching out his legs and propping himself up on his forearms.  
  
Robb sat his knees up to his chest, ankles crossing below. He didn’t miss the way Jon smirked each time he swatted at some bug that was after him. “Oi, don’t mock he like that.”  
  
“To be fair, you’d still be getting bitten back home.”  
  
“I suppose that’s true… but they seem extra bitey here.”  
  
They fell silent for a time, taking in the atmosphere, Jon clearly brooding though he was a little calmer out here away from everyone else.  
  
“Did you like him?” Robb asked, attempting to be casual about it. As he brushed some of the dirt off himself he mused that there was something satisfying about picking off the think dried mud back in the UK but ultimately this was possibly one in the ways in which this site became more tolerable.  
  
Jon frowned. “No, why do you all think that? Can you not tell how much he pissed me off? Going on and on and on and acting like a big fucking know it all.”  
  
This intrigued Robb, but he decided against pursuing his curiosity in Theon’s interests for the time being. “Jon…”  
  
“What?”  
  
“That’s your type… you know?”  
  
“I don’t have a type!” Jon almost laughed as he said this.  
  
“I don’t mean physically… although, you know…,” _he’s fucking gorgeous_ , “what I mean is – you like people who challenge you. Wind you up even.”  
  
“That’s not true…” His eyes trailed off back the way they’d come as he chewed on his lip.  
  
“Jon,” Robb chuckled, “come on.”  
  
The corner of Jon’s lips quirked up into a bashful half smile as he came to realise Robb might be right, picking of a blade of grass to draw in the dirt by his side. He did this when he became embarrassed, he started fiddling with things.  
  
Robb smiled triumphantly, debating whether to carry on taunting him about his tastes. He’d almost forgotten how they came to be here.  
  
“I don’t like him… didn’t – I’m not sure we’ll see him again.”  
  
 Robb’s lips pressed tightly together. His hands ran through his hair in attempt to untangle it slightly. He’d decided to grow it a little longer so as to cover his neck from the sun.  
  
“Like in that way too… both ways. I didn’t like him,” Jon asserted finally in a way that reassured

Robb, but it didn’t seem to matter now anyway if he’d never get the chance to see him again. Still, he wondered why then his cousin was getting so wound up about it.  
  
“Why don’t you think he’ll be back?”  
  
“He wants us to send the sherds to him instead, unless it’s something ‘important’,” Jon had answered scornfully, using air quotes and almost falling off his elbows.  
  
“ROBB!” Ygritte finally managed to drag him from his thoughts.  
  
“Yeah?” He asked wearily, drawing himself back onto his knees and toes.  
  
“I think they’ve found something.”  


“What of it?” He murmured without the desired enthusiasm. They were always finding things here. The first week he couldn’t quite believe it, now it felt commonplace. A plain bit of pot or something probably, but then he looked up to see the look on Jon’s face as he starts to follow after the field walker who had come to fetch him.  
  
He could sense Ygritte standing up beside him and dusting off her hands. “I suppose this probably means he’s coming back.” She doesn’t need to say who.

*

How could someone be so effortless cool in such a climate? There he was he covered in sweat, hair dishevelled and dirty from pushing it back with his forearm, while Theon sauntered up the path towards Jon, hands in his pockets, wearing black in this heat like it was nothing. Today his hair was pulled back, leaving a glimpse of his elegant neck. Today he glanced over to Robb and Robb could have sworn his heart stopped. He didn’t wave, or say hello, he simply smirked as though he knew the effect he had on people before turning back.  
  
“This better be worth my time, Snow!” He shouted out, clearly half joking, but Jon visibly prickled all the same as he passed a clipboard to an undergrad volunteer who appeared baffled as to what they should be doing with it.  
  
_He’s doing it on purpose._ Robb realised. The thought humoured him despite the nagging belief that perhaps this was their own version of flirting, like classroom antics of old. How he’d seen Jon do this time and time again.

They returned deep in conversation, Theon animated, a box propped on his hip, while Jon kept his arms crossed as they came back down the track from the hillside. Jon determinedly looked down at his feet, but Theon - his eyes flickered over to meet Robb’s and gave an overt wink.

 Jon would fume at this level of egotism and often become subconsciously drawn to such people despite himself. Robb on the other hand, he hadn’t, until now, been so captivated by what seemed like such confidence. He reeked of charisma. Robb was used to envying charisma in people, but this was a different sort. A type that left him feeling attracted as though to a magnet.

Setting his jaw, Robb lowered his eyes, struggling to know how to react, how not to come across as ridiculously awkward, but he couldn’t hold back the coy smile and the subsequent flush of his cheeks when he looked back up to find Theon watching. He could only hope that perhaps the pinkening caused by the sun concealed his embarrassment.

“Robb Stark!” Today Ygritte’s voice was accusatory. “You little minx!” She laughed. “I saw that! You’ve been holding out on us.”

Robb bit his lip slyly as he smirked, looking back to his work filling out some documentation as he sat on an upturned bucket.

“What are you waiting for?”

“Waiting for?” Robb asked, bemused.

“Go speak to him!”

“I’d have nothing to say.”

“…Let’s get him to stay.”

“He’s not going to stay,” he grumbled miserably.

“I thought it was Jon who’d he’d got a little thing going on with.”

Robb sighed, clicking the pen on and off. “Yeah, me too.”

“You think Jon might like him?” She sounded somewhat disappointed at this possibility and suddenly the realisation struck him of what was going on under his nose.

“You like him.”

“No, I mean he’s good looking, obviously, but he’s not my type.”

“Not him! Jon!” _The way Jon looked back towards the group of tents that night…_ “I think you might be in there.”

“Really?”

“Just a hunch.”

Nonetheless, she looked pretty chuffed about it. “In that case-“ She straightened up in her kneel and called over, waving, “hey!”

All three looked at her simultaneously, as though she’d had an outbreak of madness. Robb mortified, Jon perplexed with his brows furrowing, and Theon cocking an eyebrow, the amusement playing on his lips and in his eyes. Robb could get lost in looking at that face from afar and now it came towards him. He could imagine how his gorgeous wide lips might part as he moaned, how those indescribable stormy eyes might close as he threw back his head in ecstasy, how he himself might kiss the exposed slender neck and sharp jaw, black hair tumbling back behind him.

Forcefully, almost reluctantly, he wrenched his mind from the gutter only to find himself gazing at the way his clothing clung to his lean frame. It wasn’t only the heat of the day that brought on the need to tug at his shirt; it’s collar, it’s body, to try to cool himself down. Relief ran through him that it was loose fitting.

“Hey?” Theon smirked as he approached. Behind him Robb spotted Jon repressing a groan, rolling his eyes.

“What you got in the box?” Ygritte raised her brows, tossing her loose braid over her freckled shoulders.

With a glance back at Jon, which Robb could only imagine was a question as to why they didn’t already know, Theon lifted the lid and jerked his head to let her know she was going to have to get out of the trench and go to him if she wanted a look. Though Robb wouldn’t describe her as particularly elegant, she wasn’t willowy like Theon was, she was lithe. She moved with such energy and the work suited her, she was tough and fierce, blessed with gentle curves of muscles, and she embraced it in a fondness for vest tops. The hard work boats suited her, Robb felt ridiculous.

“Oh wow! Come and have a look, Robb.”

And that’s how he found himself stood beside the most stunning example of the human species he’d ever laid eyes on, close enough even to just about feel the heat radiating off him, close enough the feel the sparks between them.

“They’re beautiful,” he smiled, unsure of how to describe them, as he spotted Ygritte steer a reluctant Jon away from them.

Theon chuckled as though it were a gross understatement, but for Robb it was difficult to show enthusiasm in the ceramics, no matter how amazing and intricate their decoration of marine motifs, when he’d rather look at something, someone, else.

“I really like the uh… pattern.”  Why had all sensible vocabulary for this stuff suddenly escaped him. The Minoan period, or Aegean archaeology more generally, might not be his specialty but he should still be able to cobble together the terms to make it look like he was at least familiar with pottery.

It earned him a smirk, though thankfully not unkind. In fact, it ended in the sucking in of his lower lip and a light nip. “You do, huh?” He asked, a twinkle in his eye, and Robb could have sworn he looked him up and down appreciatively, but he daren’t believe it.

“Yes, it’s beautiful.” Robb cringed as his stomach dropped, realising he’d now used the same adjective twice with an incredibly short period of time. The heat in his cheeks was back.

Theon eyed him carefully. “Perhaps I could show you more…” The way his voice turned sultry lead Robb to believe there was something more to this than the simple, but already incredible, offer to take the time to show him more earthenware.

Robb couldn’t deter his lips from betraying him in a wide toothy grin, and his shy look down to his shuffling feet as he slipped his hands into his pockets was fooling no one. Theon was still watching him again when he peeked back up through his curls that had become unruly and fell into his face.

“I’ll take that as a yes shall I?”

Robb hadn’t realised he hadn’t provided an answer, perhaps because it didn’t seem as though there was any contest. “Yeah… yeah, I’d like that.”

“Tomorrow then,” Theon told him, placing the box’s lid back on.

“Tomorrow?”

His constant smile became endearing, affectionate, with a hint of amusement over Robb’s eagerness to get right to it. “Tomorrow,” he reaffirmed. “I’ll be back here, I’m going to do some processing in the marquee. I just hope I’ll get some space without him breathing down my neck.” His long fingers flicked off towards Jon.

Robb flinched. “My cousin,” he admitted. The best approach was probably to be upfront about it.

It gave Theon the opportunity to run his eyes back over him slowly as though he might suddenly spot some similarities in them both. “You aren’t much alike, are you?”

“No,” he laughed awkwardly, finding the need to hold his body in a way Theon might appreciate. “I take after my mother’s side. The red hair, pale skin,…”

“Adorable freckles and dazzlingly clear blue eyes?” Theon prompted.

“Yes- I mean no- I mean…,” he forced an uneasy smile on hearing Theon’s chuckle, “freckles and blue eyes, yes.” Self-consciously, his hand ran down his opposite forearm, over the freckles exposed by his rolled-up sleeves, but was stilled gently by Theon’s own.

“ _You’re_ adorable. And, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Watching him walk, almost slink, away with wonder, Robb was rendered speechless, ignoring Jon’s slide up to him with a quizzitive look on his face.

*

The wait was unbearable, made all the more worse by everyone else's interest in his personal life. It took the pressure off Jon and Ygritte who had seemingly been allowed to go unnoticed with their flirtatious jibes at each other, becoming progressively more physical in their jests. The air was too warm, even as night fell, and he tossed and turned throughout it, much to Jon’s annoyance. Worse now, when he woke up and looked into the mirror of the shared portacabin bathroom he was greeted by dark circles and bags under his eyes. Splashing his face with cold water, he hoped he could at least brighten up his skin and not look quite so exhausted. He smiled just thinking about Theon’s smirk, the wink, and the tantalising way his eyes ran over him, as the water dripped down from his own curls, nose and chin, knowing he’d been captivated.

The day drew on with no sign of this alluring new acquaintance. He hadn’t felt this way since teenage crushes, living for the lessons he’d share with the object of his affections. The way he kept glancing back down the track at every sound of a vehicle approaching had him cringing and Ygritte laughing.

He appeared an hour or so after lunch, smoking casually as he walked by, holding a bunch of notebooks and with a bag slung over one shoulder.

“You coming?” He called out, strolling off.

Robb was not proud of how he scrambled after him, snatching up his personal trowel - he knew what these lot were like, someone would be using it in an instant and it would be lost to him.

Trailing after him, he hurriedly attempted to clear of some of the dirt from himself, but it resulted in two defined handprints on the chest of his shirt in red dust. He cursed on noticing them but he was powerless to rectify it now.

Quite bafflingly, Theon was already on the phone when he got in the large finds tent, propping it up to his ear with his shoulder as he flicked through the papers. The mesmerisation of his smooth flowing movements, and the thoughts of how his blundering self would never be able to perform such an act, distracted him from the realisation the he couldn’t understand what he was saying. Trying not to stare, he turned, after Theon smiled apologetically and held up a finger, to keep himself busy, browsing with no intent.

“Sorry. Forever in demand,” he said, finally hanging up and slipping the phone into his pocket.

 _I can imagine._ “You speak Greek?”

Theon laughed, pulling things out of his bag and setting them on the table, “yes.”

“Do you come here a lot?” He winced at Theon’s expression. “I mean, are you here each season?”

Licking his lip as he considered just how to answer this question, Theon’s eyes danced, “you might say every season.”

Realisation struck. “You live here? You’re a local?” He wouldn’t be able to accidentally run into him back home at some conference.

“Yes, and I suppose so.”

“Ah, cool,” Robb muttered, and watched as Theon’s lip tugged into a lopsided smug smile. Fuck. This is like one of those really cliché holiday romances. Dragged in and under by some exotic being.

“How about you? Do you come here a lot?” Theon asked with a wink, laughing.

“No.” He instantly regretted the bluntness. “I mean, I’d like to… it’s nice.”

“It’s not your thing,” stated Theon, as though it were no question.

“No…”

Theon looked him up and down, turning the chair he’d sat in slightly to see him directly and appraise him, pen playing against his lips. “British Neolithic?” A triumphant smug smirk again at Robb’s nod. “Landscapes?”

“Funerary monuments.”

“You mean tombs.”

“Barrows.”

Theon laughed, shaking his head, and bit lightly onto the pen as he looked back at him. “Bit hot here for you?”

“A bit,” Robb admitted, his hand reaching subconsciously to his sore and perpetually burnt nose.

“Not to worry, you’ll be back to your rain and mud in no time.” A small snigger escaped him.

“I suppose,” he sighed.

“You aren’t looking forward to going home?”

“There are…. redeeming features here.” He surprised even himself with his forwardness and it didn’t go unnoticed.

“Ah…” He smiled. “I don’t know your name.”

“Robb.”

“Robb…” he tested, running the lid along his lower lip before holding out his hand and kicking out a chair for Robb to sit in, introducing himself, “Theon.” The way he said Robb’s name had him stirring, and the look on Theon’s face suggested he knew that all too well. Something must have clicked when he didn’t ask for an explanation of the name’s meaning because Theon suddenly snorted. “You’re a theorist,” he said, almost accusingly.

“Yes.”

“How did an armchair archaeologist from a different specialism end up here?”

“I’m allowed to have other interests!” He protested, but was forced to admit defeat when Theon cocked a brow, waiting from the truth. “Jon.”

“Ah, the cousin.” His lips pursed together as he eyed him provocatively. “I suppose I have _something_ to thank him for then.”

“He’s ok really…” Robb mumbled.

“I suppose you aren’t terribly interested in the pottery then?”

“I am! I mean, I find it interesting… It’s beautiful, but…”

“It’s not what you’re here for?” Theon offered.

“No…”

“Tell me what you’re here for,” he paused momentarily, “Robb.”

“I think you know.”

“Perhaps, but I’d like to hear you say it.” His smile widened at seeing Robb so bashful. “Aren’t you sweet?”

“I’d rather not be…”

“No?”

“No.”

“Robb?”

“Yes?”

“Are you any better at taking action?”

Now this was something Robb could get on board with. He didn’t need asking twice. With pressing urgency he’d got the majority of Theon’s notes pushed aside and the owner himself up onto the flimsy trestle table, caring not for those that remained, as swiftly as he’d ever managed anything in his life. Urgent being the operative word.

“Fucking hell! You’re like some sort of wild animal!”

Robb withdraw cautiously, pulling back to look at him and biting his lip, suddenly apprehensive. “Sorry.”

“There’s really no need to apologise. Get back here.”

Grinning, Robb decided this was the perfect moment to demonstrate to Theon he was perfectly capable of being teasing himself. Pushing Theon’s legs to either side of his hips, he slipped a hand along each leg, spreading out his thumbs to press down with pressure as he drew them up from the inner thighs. He purposefully bit down on his lip as he brought his eyes up from Theon’s lap and nailed them on his face, delighting in the way his eyes widened and eyebrows rose, the way his lips parted ever so slightly.

“You’re a beast,” Theon accused him, as his hands found his arms, fingertips digging into biceps.

“Maybe so. I suppose that makes you the beauty,” he said with a cheeky wink.

“Smooth,” laughed Theon, taking hold of the front of his shirt to pull him in for a kiss. Rough and needy, lip bruisingly delicious, he let out a moan into it as Robb took hold of his hips to pull his crotch into his own and allowed his hand to run back, fingers caressing and thumbs digging to graze their way back over and up. “I took you for such a good boy,” he breathed hot against his ear, his hands working the buttons of Robb’s shirt.

“Do I disappoint?”

Theon let out a strangled moan through a chuckle as Robb’s hand ran over to feel just how hard he was. “You know the answer to that if I’m not very much mistaken.”

“Perhaps, but I’d like to hear you say it.”

“Touché.”

Leaning back in to seize Theon’s lips with his own, he helped support him from falling fully back against the table which quaked beneath them. The other hand, however, worked it’s to where Theon’s hair was held and gently pulled out the tie to free it, silky locks toppling out. To begin with he merely stroked it back from Theon’s face, enjoyed the way it felt between his fingers, until something took over and he tugged with just enough pressure to angle his jaw and bear his neck.

“Oh god,” Theon moaned as Robb’s mouth moved to take advantage of the newly exposed flesh, gifting it a lovebite, sucking it purple and soothing it with tender kisses and licks.

“Whoa! Shit!”

Startled by Jon’s voice, Robb shot back, hands immediately on his shirt to pull it closed.

“For fucks sake!”

Theon fell back onto the table, an arm pulled up over his eyes as he struggled between despair and amusement over seeing Jon so appalled, and then of course there was Robb’s endearing embarrassment

“Just… I’m going to walk back in here in 5 minutes and we’re going to pretend like this never happened.”

“We’ll pretend you didn’t see, but I think I’d have a hard time forgetting it happened… even if I wanted to,” Theon laughed, following it up with a wink at Robb who struggled to remind himself, following that display, that Jon was still in there despite having turned his back on them.

He dove straight back in once he’d left, trailing kisses along his jaw up to his ear. “You’ll stay here tonight.” Not a question, insisting.

“You’re expecting me to sleep in a tent?” Scoffed Theon.

“Who,” a suck and subsequent bite of Theon’s lip, dragging it between his teeth, “said anything about sleeping?”

“A fool… but you know you could just come back with me, right?”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

“Does someone have a thing for the outdoors?”

*

He’d never known anyone quite like Robb, so shy and insecure until it came down to it. He watched his shy glances, the way he chewed his cheek nervously, and the glorious pikening of his cheeks beneath the freckles. Every time he moved something and his muscles flexed he was reminded of how he’d been manhandled, the sense of desire conveyed in his calloused hands, unapologetic hands that knew just what they were doing, always the right level of pressure. Always the right mix between delicacy and surety. Working hands, he supposed.

Robb’s hand threaded through his curls, ruffling them up as shook them out, airing his scalp and neck beneath, freeing them from the way the sweat made them cling. Only now did Theon realise he could find a covering of dirt so attractive, how much he’d enjoy watching the bead of sweat roll down his neck and pool in the crevices around his collar bone. Such a simple thing evoked a vision of it produced from another form of physical labour, of a different sort of heat. Ordinarily he’d have run a mile from muck, but he’d gladly accept it if it came second-hand from Robb’s body. Perhaps he might even consider accepting it first-hand under the right circumstances, and Robb showed signs that suggested he might be put in that position.

Watching from the comfort of the shade, in an actual chair, he winked at Robb with a knowing look as the redhead glanced up from the heavy wheelbarrow he pushed, and laughed at seeing him so distracted that he ran it straight into Jon’s knees, running over his toes. He looked back to his drawing, an illustration of a particularly striking octopus motif, as expletives were thrown about, sensing Jon’s eyes on him. The thought that he might have clocked on that his cousin’s fixation with him of all people had led to the collision entertained him further, so when he looked up to find Jon scowling at him he simply puckered his lips to blow him a kiss and delighted in how he then stalked off, embarrassed and furious. So easy to wind up.

Into the evening, he marvelled at the way Robb truly didn’t acknowledge the effect his divinely plumps lips lingering around the bottle top of the cheap bottle of ouzo as he smiled during the joking might have. The light of the flames from the campfire made his auburn hair shine as though it were touched by fire itself.

When Robb caught him looking the smile pulled back for him, a flash of dazzling white teeth, but he raised an eyebrow and tilted his head as though he had no clue as to why he was being watched. “Do I have something on my face?”

“Mmmm,” Curling a finger to encourage Robb to move closer, he reached up to brush his thumb along the tempting lips themselves. “You’re filthy,” he grinned at the double entendre, and moved in for the kiss. “What do you say we get you cleaned up?”

“What did you have in mind?”

“You’ll see, but best not to drink any more of that. And, grab some sleeping bags.

*

“You’re having me on!” Laughed Robb sceptically as they looked out at the bathing platform from the beach.

Theon smirked, unbuttoning his shirt. “Not in the slightest.” Robb’s eye’s burnt into him as he slid it off, as though he might jump him right there at then. “Don’t look at me like that, Stark, I’m not getting down and dirty on this sand for anyone, not even you.”

The silver moonlight glistened against the small peaks of the gentle waves. Despite the lack of artificial light, Robb was perfectly illuminated by the moon and stars. The white of the sands and the small boats in the distance, and the pale wood on the raft all glowed in the darkness. Only just could he make out the laughter back at the campsite.

“Is it as far out as it seems?” Robb asked, dubious about the undertaking.

“I’d be lying if I said no,” Theon answered. “Why, can you not swim?”

“I can.”

“Good,” He smiled tenderly and turned to help Robb out of his clothing, sliding his hands down his sculpted body and enjoying the way Robb involuntarily leant with an intake of breath as he smelt him. “It’s going to be worth it.”

“Anything would be worth it.”

Theon chuckled, “you can be such a flatterer when you want to be, and so cheesy.” Turning from Robb he purposefully sauntered as he walked down the the shoreline, reaching up to fix up his hair out of the way. That the action would stretch out his body for Robb’s piercing eyes was an added, and somewhat intentional, bonus. He resisted looking back until he was waist deep to find him tugging off the rest of his clothing as quickly, and for Robb that meant clumsily, as he could. That one was going to be the end of him, the pert arse of his made for sinking his teeth into.“You coming or not?”

“What if someone sees us?”

He smirked, having taken him to be a bit of an exhibitionist. Clearly his shy sensibilities took over once the opportunity presented itself. “Look, other than those back where we came from, who probably already assume we’re fucking - and it’s too far away to really see anything anyway, there’s no one for miles around.” Theon watched Robb’s face contort as he evaluated the situation.

Despite Theon’s slowed pace when swimming, it wasn’t until his hands hit the metal bars of the steps up that Robb caught up. His patience had evidently worn thin as a hand moved to the bars on either side of him and warm lips found his collar and shoulders. Cheered on by the whimper he provoked, Robb pulled a hand back off and down beneath the surface of the water.

Theon’s forehead hit the deck, dripping water onto the wood where it seeped in to stain it dark temporarily; gasping as Robb’s hand stroked him up and down. “You’re going to drown us both,” he groaned, trying to keep himself together, but made no move to put an end to this foolishness.

Allowing himself to get lost in the sensations; the gentle lapping of the water against him and the sound of it hitting the platform, the heat of Robb’s body against his own in the cool water and breath against his skin, and the touch of his palm, fingers, and thumb; he let go to the pleasure until he did finally spill, slumping down and trusting Robb to support him.

“Turn around and get your arms around my neck,” Robb requested, the words dripping like honey on his husky voice, forcing him to comply and scooting his pliant body up. His gaze so wonderfully intense as he crawled up, parting thighs with the nudge of an invading knee. “You’re exquisite.”

He was used to being described as crude, never exquisite. His sexuality defined by others as lewd and vulgar rather than passionate. Robb’s claiming of him felt like it came from a place of sincerity, like his desire was born from a longing for him that embraced that part of his personality rather than sought to take advantage of it.

Lying back against the decking some time later in the afterglow, Robb looked across to Theon and laughed at the sight of him being stared at, embarrassed. His chest still heaved from the exhaustion and water droplets trickled down into every hollow of his burly body until spilling onto the planks. It would be a while until they’d be able to swim back even if he wasn’t expecting another round.

“What are you doing? Have you not seen this sky?”

“I can see that any day and I’ve got the most stunning thing laid right next to me,” Theon purred, stroking him.

Robb snorted as he looked up into the heavens, stars reflected in his eyes.

“Truly, just look at these freckles…” Theon smiled at seeing Robb tense up, clearly not a fan of them himself, “they make for far more intriguing constellations,” he continued as Robb smiled with disbelief, shaking his head, and drew lines across his skin between the freckles as though joining them up into a picture, “the handsome redhead,” Robb snorted again, “the young wolf”.

“The young wolf?”

“An animal,” Theon insisted, revelling in how Robb covered up his face with the embarrassment and then continuing, causing him to shiver pleasantly at the light touch of his tracing fingertip, “the octopus… the cup and ring mark.”

“The cup and ring mark?” Laughed Robb, shocked at the unexpected reference to his field.

“Yeah, that’s all I know, don’t expect me to know more,” he grinned and rolled over to prop himself up on his elbows, looking down on Robb. “Are you at all capable of phone sex?”

“Uh… I mean…” A flush crept up his neck onto his face. He couldn’t seem to talk in person never mind when removed.

“Thought not,” Theon sighed and rolled back, exasperated and mocking despair, “I suppose I’ll just have to wait until next month.”

“Next month?!” Robb exclaimed, his face a picture. It had been worth the wait to surprise him.

“When I take up the temporary position in your department for a semester. Seems you lot have a fascination with this part of the world.”

Robb’s jaw dropped as he sat up in one fluid motion. “Are you being serious?”

Theon laughed and nodded, enjoying the baffled look on his face and the way his muscles tensed.

“Why didn’t you say anything? Did Jon know? Why didn’t Jon say anything?” The questions flew out without a pause.

“I asked him not to?” Hand caressing Robb’s abs, his lips curled up into a mischievous smirk.

Robb blinked, confused. So adorable, so oblivious. “Why?”

“I thought you might loosen up a bit quicker this way,” He admitted, earning a playful push from Robb, and teased him further, “I’m sorry, are you disappointed?”

“Fuck, no,” Robb murmured hotly, grabbing at the hands that came for him in retaliation to tug Theon on top of him, “Come here.”


End file.
